Apparatus for applying identifying means



Aug. 15, 1939. A. J. FREEMAN APPARATUS FOR APPLYING IDENTIFYING MEANS 2Sheets-Sheet l /@ea ffeefzar 5y Qm Je? QZM@ Filed NOV. l2, 1957 Aug- 15,1939. A. J. FREEMAN 2,169,413

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING IDENTIFYING MEANS Filed Nov. 12, 1937 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Izo Patented Aug. 15, 1939 UNITED STATES APPARATUS FoaAPPLYING IDENTIFYING MEANS Alpheus J. Freeman, Chicago, lll., assignorto Freeman, Incorporated, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of IllinoisApplication November 12, 1937, Serial No. 174,150

11 Claims.

This invention relates to stuffer horns or devices for stuffing orinserting food products or the like in casings, provided with means forsimultaneously inserting identifying strips of tape, ribbon, or othersuitable material, in the casings during the filling operation. Itrelates particularly to means for carrying out the process shown in mycopending application for Food marking and reinforcing, filed March 4,1935, Serial No. 9,282. It also relates to devices of the charactershown in my copending application for Apparatus for marking foodproducts, filed May 27, 1936, Serial No.. 82,041. As shown by suchapplications, and my Patent No. 1,994,468, March 19, 1935, I haveheretofore invented certain methods and apparatus relating to themarking of food products and the present invention is a furtherdevelopment of my apparatus to be used for such purposes.

The objects of the present invention are to provide an improved andsimplified apparatus for use in inserting marking strips, tape or thelike, in casings or wrappings during the stung or filling thereof; toprovide an improved stuffer horn with an integrally formed passageway orguideway formed therein for the passage of the identifying tape orribbon during the stuffing or lling operation; to provide a stuffer hornwith a guideway and means for supporting a roll of tape or identifyingmeans to be passed through-such guideway, whereby it Will not interferewith the operation of the outlet valve; to provide a stuifer A withmeans for supporting a supply of identifying tape in operative relationthereto; and to provide such other novel features and advantages as willappear more fully hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention: Figure 1 is aperspective view of my improved apparatus shown in operating position;

Figure 2 is a side view with parts broken away to show the interiorconstruction;

Figure 3 is a front sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 2 but shown on anenlarged scale;

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line '5 5 of Figure2;

Figure 6 is a sectional View taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 5. j Asshown in some of these views, II indicates a portion of a stuflingmachine having the-usual outlet control valve I2 with operating leverI3, and coupling I4 for the stuffer horn. Such stuifer horns asheretofore usually provided are of circular cross section and madesimply in the form of nozzles for supporting the casings during thefilling operation and directing theV material into the same. Instead ofsuch usual form of horn I provide an improved horn such as shown in theaccompanying drawings, having operatively associated therewith aguideway for the identification tape and means for supporting the tapeto be passed through such guideway. In one particular form of theinvention as shown the horn or stuffer I5 is of substantially U-shape incross section having a semicylindrical bottom portion with divergngsides IE, and a fiat top'or upper portion I'i which is depressedslightly above the upper edges of the sides I6 as shown in Figure 5. Thehorn and other parts associated therewith may be made of any suitablematerial but the horn is preferably made of stainless steel. The innerend of the horn I5 is secured in, or provided with, a flanged couplingmember I8 which fits in or engages with the standard or other couplingIll in order to mount it in operative position. The horn and couplingmay be .cast integrally but as shown the horn is made of sheet metalwith holes I9 along the sides for receiving self rivets, or projections2G along the edges of the top Il which are riveted to hold the top inposition and to form a closed tube. The extension of the sides above thetop Il provides a guideway or passageway for the identifying strip orribbon 2l. This passageway has a cover 22 which is detaohably securedthereto by means of longitudinal flanges 23 which engage frictionallywith the sides of the horn. The cover preferably terminates at the outerend a short `distance from the outer end Yof the top plate l?, whichplate is extended slightly beyond the end of the horn as shown at 24, toprovide a tearing edge for the tape. The inner end of the cover 22 isturned or lbent upwardly to provide a stop or ledge 25 which preventswater or moisture passing from the casings to the incoming tape and alsoserves as a'handle. The cover is held against longitudinal movement by aprojection 25 on the top Il' which engages with a notch 21 in one ofthesides 23 of the cover.

A clamp 28 engages with the horn l5 between the end of the cover 22 andthe coupling I8 as shown in Figure 2, and is held in adjusted posiv tionby a screw 29 and nut 30. Arms 3l extend upwardly from the clamp and arepreferably directed forwardly to provide clearance for the operation ofthe valve lever I3. These arms are Vprovided with slots 32 for receivingthe shaft 33 of a spool or roller 34 which carries the roll of tape,ribbon or other marking material 35. Such marking or identificationstrip may be made of any suitable material for the purposes intended, asset forth in my patent and prior applications, such for instance as oordor string, paper, woven material, fabric, cellulose material, or thelike.

v A pin 36 extends between the arms 3l adjacent to the clamp and anotherpin 3l is provided at a short distance above the same. The tape 35 ispassed from the roll under the pin 31 and back of the pin 3E and thendown and through the passagewayY or guideway 38 at the top of the horn.The cover 22 is preferably removed for drawing the tape through suchpassageway an then fastened in position for operation. When theapparatus is to be used, as Afor stuffing sausage, cheese, or other foodproducts, theV The operator then holds or guides the cas-ing by Aorfiehand and Ymanipulates the valve lever I3 ',with the other hand. When theValve is openedV the sausage or other filling material passes Voutthrough the hornand presses the projecting end of the tape against theinner end of the casing and upwardly against the inner upper surfacethereof. As the filling continues the casing is Vgradually pushed offfrom the horn and the in- `coming strip of tape or inse-rt is pressedbetween the filling material and the inner Wall of the Y casing, whichaction occurs until the end of the casing is reached. Thereupon theoperator shuts `the valve and pinches the open end of the casing andusually hands it to the tier to be tied at such end.; The tape issimultaneously broken ofil with the other hand bypinching it or tearingit over the edgeV 24.. The projecting end of the tape is then pushedinto position for the next operation and this is continuedwithpractically no parent casing, such as the artificial or naturalV casingscommonly used for sausage or other food products. l

In the stuffing devices shown in my prior applications the passagewaysfor the identifying means were in the nature of auxiliary horns orattachments to be used in connectionfwith'the usual forms of stufferhorns. While suchdevices Were successful in operation, it will bereadily seen that my present device provides a unitary structure for thepassage of the filler and the identifying means and may be coupleddirectly to the stuffing machine, thus eliminating a number of parts,which is highly desirable, as these devices should be kept scrupulouslyclean and sterilized from time to time. Furthermore the operation isexpedited, as the horn supplies a. desirable capacity for the passage ofthe food product therethrough and the air may readily escape from thecasing through the passageway during the filling of the casing.

While I have shown a preferred form of my device, it will be noted thatchanges may be made in the construction in order to adapt the same fordifferent conditions or different materials, or for simplifying themanufacture of the same and therefore I do not wish to be limited t0 theparticular form shown and described except as specified in the followingclaims, in

Lzo

f prising. stufng means for injecting material into f which I'c-laim:

1. A device of the character set forth, commeans into the casings.

2. A stuier horn having a unitary, closed passageway coacting therewithfor the passage of identifying means for the purposes' described saidclosed passageway serving to protect the -j identifying means and tokeep the same dry 5 While passing therethrough.

3. A new-article ofAmanufacture comprising a. stuffer horn having anexterior channel for the passage of identifying means and a cover forcovering said passageway to protect the identifying means and keep thesame dry while passing through .said channel.

4. A stuffer horn of substantially U-shape in cross section having aflat longitudinal portion and a cover coacting with. said flat portionto provide a passageway along theiho-rn. y 5. A horn for thelpurposesrset forth having a ila'itV longitudinal surface with ledgesprojecting beyond the same, and a' cover detachably r connected withsaid ledges `to provide a longi- '20 tudinal passageway. Y

6. A stuffer horn having a substantially U- shaped body portion and aflattop portion positioned within theredges of the side portions, andw acover engaging with the side portions to pro`25 vide a longitudinalcovered passageway along the horn.

'7. The combination with a stuifer horn having a longitudinal passagewayfor the passage of identifyingv strips, of a bracket engaging with thehorn adjacent to the coupling end and having upwardly extending arms,and means engaging with the arms for supporting a roll of material forthe identifying strips.

8. lThe combination with a stuffing maohine`l having an outlet orificeand a valve for controlling the same, of a horn adapted to be coupled tothe outlet, and provided with a longitudinal passageway for the passageof identifying lmeans therethrough, a bracket projecting from the rearportion of the horn outwardly at an angle of less than ninetyrdegrees tothe horn,V and means carriedby thev bracket for supporting a roll ofAidentifying tape, the arrangement being such that the roll will not.interfere with the opera-y tion of said lever. f

Y 49. The combination with a stuffer horn having Y extendinglongitudinally thereof, said horn andv guideway serving to hold a casingpreparatory to stuing the same, and means for supporting a 'stripadjacent to the guideway whereby the i strip may be passed from thesupport through said guideway to be fed out with the casing and"stuffing material. 11. In a device for the purposes set forth, the

combination of a stuiiery horn having tape or ribbon guide means formedintegrally therewith, saidhorn having a iiat wall forming apart ofi-c5the guide means and extending beyond the end of the horn to provide atearing edge, a bracket carried by said horn, means carried by thebracket for supporting'the roll of tape or thev like, and guides on thebracket, the arrangement being such that the tape may berdirected fromsaid roll around the guides and. through VVthe guide means to beinterposed between the Aoasin and the filling, as described.

ALPHEUS JfFREEMAu-.l' iff-"75

